Slashdot Mirror


European Parliament Committee Endorses End-To-End Encryption (tomshardware.com)

The civil liberties committee of the European Parliament has released a draft proposal "in direct contrast to the increasingly loud voices around the world to introduce regulations or weaken encryption," according to an anonymous Slashdot reader. Tom's Hardware reports: The draft recommends a regulation that will enforce end-to-end encryption on all communications to protect European Union citizens' fundamental privacy rights. The committee also recommended a ban on backdoors. Article 7 of the E.U.'s Charter of Fundamental Rights says that E.U. citizens have a right to personal privacy, as well as privacy in their family life and at home. According to the EP committee, the privacy of communications between individuals is also an important dimension of this right...

We've lately seen some EU member states push for increased surveillance and even backdoors in encrypted communications, so there seems to be some conflict here between what the European Parliament institutional bodies may want and what some member states do. However, if this proposal for the new Regulation on Privacy and Electronic Communications passes, it should significantly increase the privacy of E.U. citizens' communications, and it won't be so easy to roll back the changes to add backdoors in the future.

Security researcher Lukasz Olejnik says "the fact that policy is seriously considering these kind of aspects is unprecedented."

120 comments

  1. What? by Opportunist · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    But... but ... but ... Terrist?

    Mrs. May? Could we have your statement on this matter?

    What, every court has its jester, and just 'cause she doesn't want to be part of the court anymore doesn't mean we can't laugh about her!

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    1. Re:What? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 0

      Don't worry, the terrists will still frequent our landmarks and monuments and scenic places.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    2. Re:What? by polar+red · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The fact that the UK is out of the EU now, is probably the reason this could happen.

      --
      Yes, I'm left. You have a problem with that?
    3. Re:What? by fazig · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Hey, it's only meant to protect E.U. citizens. They didn't say anything about the smelly sand people that aren't true Europeans to begin with.

      (beware of sarcasm)

    4. Re:What? by w-wright · · Score: 2, Funny

      Mrs. May? Could we have your statement on this matter?

      Mrs May's statement: "Strong and stable leadership..."

    5. Re:What? by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 4, Informative

      The UK isn't out of the EU yet. It will most likely remain a member for about two more years.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    6. Re:What? by polar+red · · Score: 1

      They're too busy getting out to stop it.

      --
      Yes, I'm left. You have a problem with that?
    7. Re:What? by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Yes, Mrs. May, that's something Britain lacks, but that was not the topic now.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    8. Re:What? by Jack+Malmostoso · · Score: 5, Insightful

      True, but right now even if the UK were to complain about this resolution they would be ignored.

      They are not out yet, but they have lost their voice already.

    9. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Need therapy much or are you just stupid

      (beware of sarcasm)

    10. Re:What? by bmo · · Score: 1

      Mrs. May's statement: "Good encryption costs too much."

      Like good building practices.

      And the Tories wonder why Labour kicked their asses.

      --
      BMO

    11. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mrs. May?

      Jeezus! What a psycho bitch! The people that voted for her must be a bunch of crotchety old fucks. Even Trump has children. Obviously he planned for some kind of future...

      Your comment was not off topic. Unfortunate as it is, she is kinda relevant until she is removed.

    12. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You misunderstand. When EU says "end-to-end encryption", they mean encryption from your end to the government's end, then from the government's end to the destination you "requested".

    13. Re:What? by fazig · · Score: 3, Interesting

      There is a current trend in some EU countries that want to violate the basic rights granted by their their respective constitutions or bill of rights. Rights that are supposed to apply to all humans or natural persons and not only to citizens. So I found the wording to be peculiar, because in fact the paper refers at one point not to "everyone" or "all individuals" but to "citizens" in the text proposed by the commission. In the amendment part however the citizens part is replaced with all individuals. You can look it up in this source on page 34.

    14. Re:What? by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      They didn't. The Tories still have the most votes, the most seats and aren't a million miles short of an overall majority.

      I bet the first thing Maggie II thought when she heard was that it was lucky it didn't happen a couple of weeks earlier.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    15. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The UK isn't out of the EU yet. It will most likely remain a member for about two more years.

      They will certainly remain a member for almost two more years.

      Former EU Commissioner Karel De Gucht doubts that the UK will be able to get their Brexit together, and estimates there is "a serious chance" Britain will eventually remain in the European Union.

    16. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The effects are starting to be felt, and parts of the government are already hinting about the damage of leaving the EU. Hell, they've even admitted that an extremely good deal is needed otherwise the NHS is screwed. The EU provides support to some of the poorest areas of the UK, ironically the same ones that had the heaviest Leave votes. We're already seeing a backlash now people realise they're going to be out of pocket if we leave - the anti-EU Democratic Unionist Party is already scrounging for cash to replace lost EU funding a part of its deal to keep the Conservatives in power.

      I give things until the end of the year, before Brexit collapses and we can hopefully go back to tackling the real issues that affect the UK. I was out canvassing during the election, and it was incredible how many people voted to leave and now regret it. The surge in support for Labour came from those people.

      Lets face it, if we do leave then the UK population is going to quickly discover that the government and media are the cause of most of our social and economic problems, not the EU.

    17. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Moral of the story?

      Never elect a childless woman into leadership. They have no stake in the future. They don't care. Hearts of ice and stone they have. The best work for them is in the wrecking yard, and occupied building demolition. (Evidence is being destroyed right now as you read this and nobody is stopping them)

    18. Re: What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This. Women were meant to bare us kids. If they don't bare us kids how can we have a future? Woman without kids hate us. They just want us to die.

    19. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hallelujah!

    20. Re:What? by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 1

      They will certainly remain a member for almost two more years.

      There's nothing certain about it, in either direction. Neither an abrupt early exit under the current UK administration nor an effective extension through some sort of transition arrangement if negotiations are going well for all concerned but not yet concluded by the original deadline is out of the question at this point.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    21. Re:What? by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 1

      People have been claiming a backlash is build now that others have seen the light since about 24 June 2016. It's like the year of Linux on the desktop or the release of Half-Life 3.

      In reality, there is very little evidence of "bregret" on the Leave side, and increasing evidence that about half of the people who voted Remain are now "re-leavers" who think the government should respect the result of the referendum and leave even though it isn't what they personally wanted.

      Given that the Labour policy at the election was also to leave, while other major parties campaigned on a much more pro-EU position and didn't do particularly well this time, I think your argument that the surge in Labour support came from regretful Leave voters is unrealistic.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    22. Re:What? by hoofie · · Score: 1

      Why do pro-European advocates always talk about the amount of money Regions in the UK receive from the European bodies ? Heads-up : It's the UK's money so start with. We are a net contributor to the EU so we pay in more than comes out. Switch out the funding source from Europe to the UK. As for some of the poorest areas voting leave it's those poorest areas who getting hammered hardest by free movement and businesses relocating to cheap plants in Eastern Europe. As for people voting leaving and regretting- bullshit. All polls show the vote to be higher now - people want it done. Oh since you are obviously a labour party activist [Momentum ?] please square your pro-Eu standpoint with your Leaders avowed wish to get out. Both the Labour and Conservative parties support Brexit in their manifestos, the only difference is the end state. p.s. Labour still lost the election.

    23. Re:What? by hoofie · · Score: 1

      The UK population is going to quickly discover that the government and media are the cause of most of our social and economic problems, not the EU.

      The areas of the country that were solid Labour areas for decades swung to the pro-Brexit camp for the exact reason that the European model has seen their jobs evaporate to Eastern Europe and the population rocketing due to immigration from Eastern Europe. That response may have a racial tinge; it may be wrong but it's there and putting your head in the sand and going "La La La" wont' change it.

      The Pro-European campaign before the Referendum treated the population like mugs and the establishment and the Government got hammered for it. We even had the wonderful sight of a multi-millionaire Irish Citizen [Bob Geldof] sitting on the private yacht belonging to a Global Financial Firm flicking the V to a group of Fisherman who wanted out of Europe - a group whose livelihood has been destroyed by EU Fishery policy [hint : The huge factory ships that haul in everything that swims in the Sea aren't British]. That for me summed up the Pro-European movement : "Shut up peasents and do what you are told".

    24. Re:What? by hoofie · · Score: 1

      Labour didn't "kick their asses". Labour didn't win enough seats for a First Past the Post system. Even if you add in the SNP fruitcakes, the Libs, the Greens and those ardent warriors for peace Sinn Fein it's not enough.

      The Tories need the Unionists for a coalition.

      If Corbyn had the numbers with Sinn Fein included he would be talking to them trying to get them to take their seats although I would suggest that large combination would be as stable as a one-legged stool.

      Mind you according to Momentum Corbyn has won Government and Diane Abbott thinks they have a majority of 12 million.

    25. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Here's a tip: ignore EU commissioners claiming the UK will stay.

      A few bits of info:

      The UK funds a large part of the EU - it's one of the very few contributors in the EU club.

      The UK people voted to leave - and we know the EU has a history of forcing people to keep voting until they vote the right way. There's a massive media campaign being waged right now trying to instil the idea that the recent general election invalidated the Brexit referendum. This flies in the face of all the facts - but the political and media class in the UK sees their chance - and it's making regular people very, very angry. They don't see it in their metropolitan bubble... but they should be very careful.

      We also know our own leaders will betray us in a heartbeat - as they've attached themselves to the EU gravy train for years.

      Add all that together, and tone-deaf blatherings from EU flunkies don't have the effect they hope. It's not creating a mood for stopping Brexit - far from it - it's creating a wave of serious anger and determination.

    26. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The EU does nothing to support poor communities.

      The UK pays the EU. The EU uses some of the money in "grants" - which demand an EU flag be flown - because this isn't about doing the right thing, it's about propaganda.

      Everyone EXCEPT Remoaners realises that the UK can issues the same grants without the expensive middle-man taking his cut.

    27. Re:What? by dave420 · · Score: 2

      But Westminster won't fund those programmes, and the EU did, so your argument falls incredibly flat.

    28. Re:What? by freudigst · · Score: 1

      From Arizona???

    29. Re:What? by freudigst · · Score: 1

      They are not out yet, but they have lost their voice already.

      Let us hope.

    30. Re:What? by freudigst · · Score: 1

      Lets face it, if we do leave then the UK population is going to quickly discover that the government and media are the cause of most of our social and economic problems, not the EU.

      The London government has pretty much always been an enemy of the people at large in the modern era.

    31. Re:What? by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      My guess is the surge of Labour voters came more from the realization that May tries to be like Thatcher, and a lot of Brits do actually remember those times.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    32. Re:What? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1

      There's also suddenly a lot less public appetite for throwing away a load of regulations after a tower block burned down killing a load of people because the UK allows the use of an insulating material that Germany and the US have banned as having a too-high fire risk.

      Amusing fact if you were canvasing for Labour: of all of the key policies in their manifesto, leaving the EU had the lowest approval rating (though apparently there's a mandate for that, but not for properly funding the NHS or nationalising the railways, for example).

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    33. Re:What? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 2

      Why do pro-European advocates always talk about the amount of money Regions in the UK receive from the European bodies ? Heads-up : It's the UK's money so start with. We are a net contributor to the EU so we pay in more than comes out.

      So you'd rather trust the London government to invest that money in the poorer regions? The reason that people bring it up is that, between Brussels and London, Brussels has a far better track record of investing in the poorer areas of the UK.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    34. Re:What? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Everyone EXCEPT Remoaners realises that the UK can issues the same grants without the expensive middle-man taking his cut.

      Take a look at your tax statement this year (you do pay tax in the UK, right?). It will have a breakdown of the amount that you're paying into the EU. Notice how tiny a percentage of the total tax revenue that is. Notice how it's far less than you're paying in council tax (assuming that you're not a student or otherwise exempt from council tax). Now, compare the proportion of that money that is spent improving the quality of poorer regions in the UK and investing in UK infrastructure than the proportion of the remainder. Now tell me who you'd rather have spending your taxes.

      Or, if you don't want to do this on a purely financial basis, compare the EU data protection office with the actions of the UK's regulator ('oh, you just gave loads of medical records to Google / Deep Mind without consent of the patients? I'm sure that's fine') and tell me which you'd prefer having control over privacy. Or compare Theresa 'Encryption bad, must backdoor everything' May's attitude with TFA and tell me who you'd prefer.

      The problem with the leave arguments is that almost all of the negative things about the EU (concentrating power in the Commission rather than the Parliament, pushing pro-corporation trade treaties, and so on) were pushed hard by the UK government's representatives in the Council of Ministers and over the objection of other EU countries. You don't like these things, so you'd rather give more power to the people responsible for them.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    35. Re:What? by jandersen · · Score: 1

      I give things until the end of the year, before Brexit collapses and we can hopefully go back to tackling the real issues that affect the UK.

      I really hope you are right. I think a lot of people are deeply frustrated with being governed by a group of people, whose only qualification is that they feel entitled to tell others what to do. And it isn't just in government we see this - I think anyone who has had a highly skilled job, like an engineer, software developer, medical doctor etc, recognises this: you are ruled by incompetent managers, who happened to have the right connections and feel they have the right to rule; they boast of their great successes, when they actually just had an easy ride, and then they fail spectacularly and take the company down with them, even though it could have been avoided, had they just been competent.

      I don't know if Corbyn's promises can hold - I think it is possible, but it will not be as easy as their manifesto claims. And I know that we can't go on being ruled by incompetent fools, and he at least seems to be genuine. A guy who grows his own vegetables has to have his feet on the ground, I would have thought ;-)

    36. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is a completely idiotic argument. I'd rather have my local government getting the money. The EU has no idea what to spend it on... other than projects pushing themselves.

      Plus, I love this idea that because the UK has faults... that will somehow be fixed by adding a layer of unaccountable Eurocracy on top of it. All the same shit 5x the red tape and 10x the effort needed to get rid of it.

      "You don't like these things, so you'd rather give more power to the people responsible for them."

      No, I don't like them. Giving power to the EU doesn't fix them. It moves power further away from the people than ever. This is what Remoaners don't get. You think making government bigger and more distant will solve it.

    37. Re:What? by mjwx · · Score: 1

      The UK isn't out of the EU yet. It will most likely remain a member for about two more years.

      And likely never will be. In the recent election, the only parties still campaigning for a hard Brexit got 0 seats. T-May and the Conservatives shrewdly changed tack from hard to soft Brexit half way thought the campaign, this cost them a few votes from the extreme right, but it gave them a lot more votes from the moderate right. In retrospect, the backflip paid off for them and is probably the only reason they still have enough numbers to form a government.

      Europe will never offer us a good deal on Brexit, So everyone is just looking for a graceful way out that saves face.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    38. Re:What? by mjwx · · Score: 1

      Take a look at your tax statement this year (you do pay tax in the UK, right?). It will have a breakdown of the amount that you're paying into the EU.

      For those too lazy or scared to look the numbers up, the amount the UK is scheduled to pay is £17 billion, However we have an instant rebate of £4 billion, reducing the invoiced total to £13 billion. Over £4 billion of that comes back to the UK in the form of EU spending (mostly on the poorer regions of the UK and NI) so the balance is actually £8.6 billion.

      This may sound like a lot, but realistically this is a tiny amount of the £730 billion collected by HMRC,

      The NHS costs £116 billion in comparison, state pensions are £74 billion. What we pay to the EU is a drop in the bucket, what we'll lose by leaving the EU is a good portion of 44% of the UK's trade. If the HMRC's receipts go down by 10% (which is a very optimistic projection, realistically we're looking at losing more than 10%) that's £74 billion, that is a deficit of at least £61 billion not taking into account the cost of replacing the EU's spending in the UK.

      However Brexit will never come to pass because the EU will never give us free access to the single market and the UK knows it's economic suicide to leave the single market. Right now, everyone is just looking for a way out that saves face. I know 3 people who voted leave, 2 have changed their minds having seen what has happened to the UK economy, the 3rd is almost quite literally a Nazi (seriously, he opposes the human rights accord, I understand conservatism, but he's a proper right wing nut job).

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    39. Re:What? by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 1

      We've seen this combination of negativity about any future deal and wishful thinking about reversing the leave decision since the day after the referendum. Please change the record, because regardless of where you stand on Remain vs. Leave, endlessly repeating this same position simply isn't constructive at this point. Your sig is ironic: it seems you are just hating without actually making much of an argument for anyone to rebut.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    40. Re:What? by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      So you'd rather trust the London government to invest that money in the poorer regions?

      Which is exactly why the "United Kingdom" is no longer a useful phrase. The odds of Scotland seceding within a few years is better than evens, and the Welsh and Geordies are starting to get restive.

      At this time, it's three kingdoms and a Plantation held together by centralised control and taxation. I don't see that lasting.

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    41. Re:What? by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      the EU will never give us free access to the single market and the UK knows it's economic suicide to leave the single market.

      Of course the EU will never allow a non-EU country access to the single market without extracting significant concessions on internal law, movement of people, etc. I've spent enough time working in Norway to know that. The EU know they need to charge a hig price for access to that market, and they do.

      Consequently also, the EU knows that it needs to discourage leaving. With the proverbial soft words and a big stick.

      If Britain tries to back out of Brexit, I suspect that conversion to the Euro is going to be a part of the price of re-entry. IF they allow us back. Having the economic wreckage of a nation on it's coasts might be a useful deterrent to defectors - kind-of like displaying the quartered remains of traitors above the gates of a city.

      What - did I hear a politician hoping to get a good deal from the Brexit negotiations?

      Anyway, I've got my dual nationality, I really don't give a shit what happens to Britain.

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    42. Re:What? by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      the backflip paid off for them and is probably the only reason they still have enough numbers to form a government.

      Remember - their ability to form a government is at the behest of Sinn Fein. If they choose to back-track on their tradition of not taking their seats in parliament, then May is back to the most slender of majorities - 2 votes if you count the Speaker, and drag people into the Commons in their hospital beds (it has been done before).

      Now, I understand why Sinn Fein have that policy - it dates back to the first woman elected to a parliamentary constituency - and I respect that choice. But given a sufficiently high price (e.g., a permanently open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, or the UK becoming a Republic), it must be a position they're considering. They're politicians - prices are negotiable, but do need to be paid (which is why the Liberals are not available for coalition, after the knifing they got in their previous coalition).

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    43. Re:What? by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      Oh, we're still working to undermine the Brexit vote - after all, in THIS country of the DisUnited Kingdom, we voted to Bremain. But why waste time doing it on a site dominated by Septics?

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    44. Re:What? by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 1

      I have no problem with discussing the ideas or advocating your preferred outcome. In fact, I encourage everyone to do so, because constructive discussions about the pros and cons of different ways forward is exactly what we need right now. (I believe this is true regardless of which way someone voted in the referendum or why they chose to vote that way.)

      But I don't see the point in just endlessly claiming the world will end after Brexit. Obviously the nature of any future relationship is important, but whatever happens, some things will be better for some people and some things will be worse for some people. That remains true even in the extreme cases of reversing the decision to leave or walking away with no deal and falling back on WTO rules for a while. When hardcore Remain voters say silly things about the world ending if we don't stay in the Single Market, or hardcore Leave voters says silly things about our society disintegrating because we let half a dozen immigrants in, they just look ill-informed and make it hard for anyone interesting in actually finding a good way forward to take them seriously.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    45. Re:What? by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      I'm still planning to leave the UK to remain in Europe. The UK then becomes someone else's problem.

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    46. Re:What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "However Brexit will never come to pass because the EU will never give us free access to the single market and the UK knows it's economic suicide to leave the single market."

      Perhaps the dumbest statement in this thread. The EU is dying. It's resorted to printing money to claim "economic growth" (see the recent 80 billion Euros). The actual productivity and profits are crashing. The EU is the ultimate in protectionist fantasies.

      No other "free trade bloc" in the world requires free travel and turning over your lawmaking to another country. Not one. You actually state directly that the EU will damage businesses because their country voted not to be part of the EU empire proves what the real game is - it has NOTHING to do with economics and the everything to do with a subjugation and empire.

      Let's not forget how Euromaniacs have redefined free trade to something that carries and hefty fee and a gargantuan amount of bureaucracy and legislation.

      Nice use of Nazi BTW. Nothing shows how deranged you Europhiles are

  2. Children by 110010001000 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Obviously they didn't think of the children though. My next proposal with be called "Think of the Children" and will require full Internet histories of everyone to be collected and stored in perpetuity.

    1. Re: Children by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I will trump that with the "Paedophiles are spying on your children" act, which will replace your legislation with the "whatever you do, don't think of children" law.

    2. Re:Children by Opportunist · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Anyone thinking of the children as much as some politicians should be under surveillance, we might have a pedo lurking.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    3. Re:Children by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Some of us are thinking of the children. We don't think any child should grow up in an authoritarian regime, afraid of their own government, hesitant about having an open mind and communicating honestly with their peers.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    4. Re:Children by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      in the white house even. trump has bragged about walking into dressing rooms at TEEN pageants and oooogling contestants (including ones undressed), because they were "HIS" he could whatever he wanted, including that.

    5. Re: Children by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      You must be some kind of euro commie, talking like that. Why do you hate freedom?

    6. Re:Children by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Meanwhile, all the democrats were busy at "ghost club"

    7. Re:Children by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Anonymous Brave Guy is unmutual !!

    8. Re:Children by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We're doing a very good job in the UK of implementing the foundations of a totalitarian state. Once we're out of the EU, the Conservatives can chuck away those pesky EU regulations on human rights, civil liberties, privacy, and protection from the state.

    9. Re:Children by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Meanwhile In Democracy defending Britain we have by a long shot the largest CCTV network in the world, the largest gen database (often collected illegally from children and individuals that didn't committed a single crime whatsoever), the more far reaching internet data law in the western world, a primer minister that wants to resign from the European convention on human human rights because she find it inconvenient (out of he own incompetency)
      I cold keep going but the list is far too long...
      So yea keep thinking of England the fair and blameless, all bad that happens is the fault of those evil Europeans that hate us.

    10. Re:Children by butzwonker · · Score: 1

      The UK is leaving the EU, so that possible fate of the EU has luckily been prevented.

    11. Re:Children by Blaskowicz · · Score: 3, Informative

      Sure but European Court of Human Rights is not related to the EU. This ought to be known, and this makes leaving the convention related to it not a part of a mandate given by brexit referendum.

    12. Re:Children by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Pics, I mean, Tweets or didn't happen.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  3. you can have this already. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The tools have been available to the public for decades.

  4. 99.9% of us have nothing to hide? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    dysfunction starts at the top... cease fire stand down,, there is moms & kids in all of our towns,, sing along.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-HLxpWGCzc

    1. Re:99.9% of us have nothing to hide? by Z80a · · Score: 2

      "We're installing this mandatory door on your house that only the government and the government only can open we swear."

    2. Re:99.9% of us have nothing to hide? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      To your door: tock, tock, tock!

      Who are you?

      I'm the government's official, from National Security.

      What do you want?

      I want to bring you 10,000,000,000 trojan horses to your house.

      Massively?

      Yes!

      No thanks, good bye official.

      .

      hidden backdoors + strong encryption = "you lose!".

  5. The people by tsa · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Isn't it amazing how the EU time and time again installs regulation that benefits the people who live there, even if that means going against companies best interests? And still many inhabitants of the EU think they don't benefit from it (although those numbers are going down thanks to Brexit).

    --

    -- Cheers!

    1. Re:The people by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The EU is not one voice or a single point of power in government. EU mechanisms have been used to push through oppressive surveillance and recording laws as well. It's a complicated issue and there are people on both sides of the debate, in the EU administration just as anywhere else in politics.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    2. Re:The people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This has nothing to do with "companies best interest", or maybe you should argue it is in the best interest of the companies.

      Strong encryption is in everyones interest, except for politicians with a appetite for totalitarianism. Backdoors etc would be a complete disaster, as amply demonstrated by Intel quite recently.

    3. Re:The people by religionofpeas · · Score: 1

      Do you have reason to believe the individual state governments would have voted otherwise ?

    4. Re:The people by johannesg · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This is only a draft proposal. By the time it gets through the commission it may (and likely, will) read like the exact opposite.

      Oh, and "Time and time again" -> give one more example please?

    5. Re:The people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      To be fair, it likely won't pass, and probably even has been made to fail.

      Give them some hope of good, then make it fail. Half of the people will hopelessly continue to despair in fatalism ("nothing will ever change, we're doomed!"), the other half of the people will be mostly satisfied it came close to be realized ("people are still fighting for the good, there is progress, next time it will pass!"), and the few remaining agitators can be dealt with as usual, through investigation, infiltration, control grabbing, false flag operations, and violent suppression.

    6. Re:The people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative
    7. Re:The people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I don't think it has a chance of passing. Some major member states are actively requesting backdoors and encryption bans, they will never pass this.

    8. Re:The people by rmdingler · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The civil liberties committee of the European Parliament

      should be making recommendations for legislation like this.

      Getting the entire wishlist passed into law may be unlikely, but at least they're having the conversation. Naturally, there will be some dissent from other factions of government, powerful business interests, and the "if-you-have-nothing-to-hide" parrots. Still, this is a representative committee doing the people's business as it was intended to function.

      It's refreshing. Far too many government oversight departments have been hamstrung (and empowered) by the whim of the party in power.

      --
      Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

      Ernest Hemingway

    9. Re:The people by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The fact that the EU even has a department looking at civil liberties, which is taken seriously and results in strong privacy and freedom protections, is quite remarkable these days.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    10. Re:The people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Isn't it amazing how the EU time and time again installs regulation that benefits the people who live there, even if that means going against companies best interests? And still many inhabitants of the EU think they don't benefit from it (although those numbers are going down thanks to Brexit).

      It's even more amazing how strawman arguments get modded up as "Insightful" by the poorly-educated Slashdot crowd.

      But that's not surprising, as per Wikipedia:

      This technique has been used throughout history in polemical debate, particularly in arguments about highly charged emotional issues where a fiery "battle" and the defeat of an "enemy" may be more valued than critical thinking or an understanding of both sides of the issue.

      And you just HAD to use this article to set up a straw man about the EU "going against companies best interests".

      The sad thing is you probably think you're smart and well-educated.

    11. Re:The people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They're commies and faggots and they always need government to do things for them because they don't have guns.
      --
      roman_mir

    12. Re:The people by gnasher719 · · Score: 2

      The fact that the EU even has a department looking at civil liberties, which is taken seriously and results in strong privacy and freedom protections, is quite remarkable these days.

      However, in this particular case the NSA, with no interest in civil liberties whatsoever, agrees with them. According to the NSA, whose business is US national security (and not EU national security, or US civil liberties) strong encryption is overall beneficial to US national security. So if we believe them, then there isn't even a conflict between national security and civil liberty.

      (Of course the NSA would like to be able to, and works hard to break your encryption. That's their job. But it seems they think they are better at it than the bad guys, and weak encryption would make it dangerously simple for the bad guys to break our encryption).

    13. Re: The people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Look at GDPR regulation coming into effect in 2018, look at roaming tarrives being removed, freedom to move around, ...

    14. Re: The people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It may seem remarkable to Americans. But americans have a small government that is trying to grow and get more control. We have had big governments for a long time, with lots of departments for various fluff.

      Now one of those money sinks pipes up with some privacy stuff that might be
        important. Big gov is expensive, but there are also more checks and balances. And we have had enough secret police in the past...

    15. Re:The people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      your americans, no one would need to break your encryption, They would simple buy acccess.

      You will sell your own grand mothe if you though there was a dollar or a cheeseburgher in it.

    16. Re:The people by snakeplissken · · Score: 1

      (Of course the NSA would like to be able to, and works hard to break your encryption. That's their job. But it seems they think they are better at it than the bad guys, and weak encryption would make it dangerously simple for the bad guys to break our encryption).

      Which is why I find it odd that instead of trying to introduce backdoors, governments don't just try to keep encryption to a level where only nation states have the resources to crack it. I don't have to worry about ordinary criminals cracking my communications with my bank etc. and if the government is trying to crack that in realtime then perhaps I have bigger problems?

      I'm not saying this is workable or sensible, just that it makes a much better pitch for the powers that be in their "omg think of the children, terrorists, badgers etc." spiel as it doesn't seem to have the built in mathematical impossibility of Theresa May's position.

      snake

    17. Re:The people by Gavagai80 · · Score: 1

      The NSA isn't against strong encryption because they believe they can bribe the people who write the strong encryption implementations to make it secretly weak.

      --
      This space intentionally left blank
    18. Re:The people by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1

      Which is why I find it odd that instead of trying to introduce backdoors, governments don't just try to keep encryption to a level where only nation states have the resources to crack it

      Because that's impossible, for very many reasons.

      First, the nation state doesn't need to break just one use of encryption, it needs to break several. If you need to be able to break 1,000 people's encrypted communications, then the criminal needs 1,000th of the computational power that the state can throw at it. If the state needs to be able to break them in a day, then a criminal happy to wait a month needs 1/30,000th the computational power, which is about the difference between a data centre and a mobile phone.

      Second, because breaking encryption is an embarrassingly parallel workload and so is ideal for botnets of GPUs. Guess who controls those? It's not the governments.

      Third, because encryption is time sensitive. For some things, you care that no one can decrypt or spoof it this week (e.g. 'fire missiles at North Korea now' or 'buy stocks in Whole Foods now, I just learned that Amazon is going to try to buy them'). For some things, you care about whether someone can decrypt them in the next 20 years or longer. These things factor in the growth of computational power in the work factor for the attackers (GPUs and cheap FPGAs caused problems for some users of these) and so expect not to be broken by your non-government attacker with 20 years of growth in available processing power. Given the polynomial growth rate of cheap computational power, there's absolutely no way that you could expect a government to have now, more computational power than a gang of criminals could have in 20 years. To put this in perspective, 20 years ago, a 300MHz Pentium II was a really expensive CPU and the world's fastest supercomputer had a peak of 1,453.0GFLOPS, using 7,264 cores, i.e. about 6 times as fast as the iPhone 7's GPU, or about a quarter the speed of an nVidia GPGPU card. For encryption, integer ops matter more than floating point, but the trajectories are in the same direction.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    19. Re:The people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just use a sufficiently long one time pad. No algorithm to attack. Pretty much uncrackable for all intents and purposes.

    20. Re:The people by fox171171 · · Score: 1

      The bill will be titled: "Strong Encryption". The bill will read: "Is not allowed".

  6. Oh nos! teh terrist win! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Seems that while the UK is pushing to become little America and America is spying on everyone + their dog the EU is pressing ahead with bettering the lives of its citizens.

      All the weak encryption and spying in the world di not prevent trucks and cars being driven over people or the Boston Marathn bombing. Heck even when they have the intelligence they are hard pressed to do something meaningful about it. - bulk surveillance is not a terrorism preventative measure.

    As an aside, a moron called Nigel Farage called the EU "a failed social experiement" - one only needs to look at Nigel's social life to realise what failure is.

    1. Re: Oh nos! teh terrist win! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Terrorists are easily dealt with - shoot them. Even better, dont let them cross the border in the first place. No big need to listen on comms.

  7. cover your eyes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    gambling we still have permission to listen.. or sing along.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci271jE82ss .. hanging on to our hemispheres we stand hand in hand,, unseen on tv witnessed by creation..

  8. Think of the Russians by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yeh, I'm sure everyone in the EU Parliament wants Putin and Trump spying on their private communications. That would be really condusive to democracy.

  9. EU is not responsible for security of its people. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    One very important point: The European Union is not responsible for the security or defence of the people in the European Union. That's a responsibility for the individual countries.

    The hardest part of these regulations is balancing out security and privacy, and for the EU it's simple -- they're not responsible for security. So this is largely meaningless.

  10. greed/fear/ego based behaviours by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    always fail us... no spirit no heart no life... run tell that..

  11. Re: Books by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    That's easy to answer: the alternative was Hillary. People rather vote for someone like Trump than for a competent totalitarian like Hillary. Did that answer your question?

  12. Re: Books by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Donald lost by 3 million votes. His coming self induced impeachment will be fun queer.

  13. I'd be concerned by ooloorie · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This may sound good on the surface on it, but it may have unintended consequences.

    For example, can you still offer unencrypted web sites at all under this regulation? If you can't, doesn't that mean that every web site may have to register with a certificate authority?

    Conversely, in order to comply simultaneously with this regulation and hate speech and libel laws, wouldn't web sites have to require more identification and authentication?

    And what's the need for such a regulation anyway? All governments need to do is not to refrain from making cryptography illegal. Mandating cryptography seems as much of an unwise overreach as prohibiting it.

    1. Re:I'd be concerned by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think the purpose of this discussion is mostly symbolic. In a world where governments push for regulation of encryption and backdoors, the EU parliament pushes for the opposite. I don't think this will become a directive and probably that's not their intention.

    2. Re: I'd be concerned by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ooloorie wrote "All governments need to do is not to refrain from making cryptography illegal.

      Hmm. Three negatives, two cancel out leaving one. So you are saying you WANT the gov't to make cryptography illegal??

    3. Re: I'd be concerned by ooloorie · · Score: 1

      Sorry, typo.

    4. Re:I'd be concerned by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      Re "Conversely, in order to comply simultaneously with this regulation and hate speech and libel laws, wouldn't web sites have to require more identification and authentication?"
      Long term the idea is for photo id to access the useful parts of the internet, like when buying any modem, cell phone, ISP account.
      That account will then be linked to a person who has registered with photo ID and is then responsible for all search terms, sites visited, comments made by their IP/account.
      Encryption will work but be weak and fully open to any EU gov, NATO, the USA.
      Every conversation in the EU will lack anonymity and privacy.
      Anonymity will be lost to mil grade tracking and ID laws.
      Privacy will be between a government and the people who once expected privacy as they had selected encryption.

      Encryption sold by big brands will be open to any government. Anyone making or offering they own encryption will have to register and hand over access to a gov or be discovered and face investigations.
      "Germany to pour cash into mass surveillance" (8.09.2016) http://www.dw.com/en/germany-t... ".. particularly decrypting what the report calls "non-standardized telecommunications .."

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    5. Re:I'd be concerned by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      AC it can work both ways. The encryption can be usable to keep out a third party but the gov/mil will get a trapdoor, backdoor and frontdoor to any encryption it detects.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  14. Ban on backdoors? by scsirob · · Score: 1

    Isn't that akin to making burglary illegal?

    --
    To Terminate, or not to Terminate, that's the question - SCSIROB
    1. Re:Ban on backdoors? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes and no. It is more akin to making burglary by governments illegal. For instance, Germany has laws enabling law enforcement to install backdoors on a suspected offender's computer.

    2. Re:Ban on backdoors? by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      Think of having to share a private NVR/DVR CCTV with the gov. The gov will access and watch the cameras on private property too.
      With encryption the two people using the product will be protected, just the gov will get the text/voice/files/details too.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  15. Actual relevant draft by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The providers of electronic communications services shall ensure that there is sufficient protection in place against unauthorised access or alterations to the electronic communications data, and that the confidentiality and safety of the transmission are also guaranteed by the nature of the means of transmission used or by state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption of the electronic communications data. Furthermore, when encryption of electronic communications data is used, decryption, reverse engineering or monitoring of such communications shall be prohibited. Member States shall not impose any obligations on electronic communications service providers that would result in the weakening of the security and encryption of their networks and services.

    I don't understand why the summary is saying that the parliament demands end-to-end encryption be "enforced" while the title says "endorsed". This draft bill basically says that when you are not already providing communication over a secure channel, you should protect the users by encryption at their ends, using a sufficiently up-to-date method. Of course this is very vague on the technical requirements (hence enforceability), and I expect a lot resistance from the businesses if this part is going into the final act as it is now.

    The real gem, though, is the provision against Member States deliberately weakening security. This is not legislative meddling in tech (which is problematic even if good-intentioned), but a direct legislative safeguard against the crazy state of political atmosphere that is on the verge of cyberauthoritarian dystopia, as it stands now.

    Hear hear, honourable members!

    1. Re:Actual relevant draft by just+another+AC · · Score: 1

      I don't understand why the summary is saying that the parliament demands end-to-end encryption be "enforced" while the title says "endorsed".

      Basic knowledge of EU structure is needed here. So fair that there is confusion... but the article is correct.

      It is because of who is making the draft. The Euro Parliament cannot create a bill, only modify and accept or reject. Therefore passing a bill is "endorsing" it. The bill itself will "enforce" the encryption.

  16. Re:EU is not responsible for security of its peopl by hey! · · Score: 2

    You make an interesting point, but the fact that security isn't the primary responsibility of the EU doesn't mean the EU can ignore it in setting rules.

    The European Convention on Human Rights is part of EU law, so EU explicitly must protect individual rights. But it goes without saying that it also has to take into account the governments' ability to provide security and law enforcement. This is why law requires specially trained experts, who even so still get things wrong a lot of the time.

    Effective governance requires a comprehensive view of all the conflicting duties and goals. You can make rules that simply ignore security, but as soon as people feel threatened they'll simply work around the rules. So you can't effectively protect individual rights by pretending that security just isn't a concern.

    --
    Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
  17. All car has always a backdoor, the 3rd or 5th door by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The European Commission must be fighting against those enterprises, governments and peoples that promote hidden backdoors and are considered as a criminal organization

    The great problem is that there are hidden backdoors that use encryption for committing criminal acts.

  18. Misleading Article by Notabadguy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    For US Citizens, the gravity of this situation would be translated thusly:

    The House subcommittee on Civil Liberties has accepted a proposal written by the ACLU and EFF advocating End-to-End Encryption.

    That's it.

    It hasn't been submitted to the house as a bill, it isn't making the rounds to garner legislative support, it simply exists as a proposal, and in doing so has made the news.

  19. Re:EU is not responsible for security of its peopl by fustakrakich · · Score: 2

    Isn't the EU there to unify the rules (of which privacy is a part, not that this would pass), to facilitate trade amongst its members? It's more of an interstate commerce commission that suffers from mission creep. Goes with the territory.

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  20. Re:EU is not responsible for security of its peopl by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    The convention on human rights is a European Council convention. The European Council is a body separate from the European Union. The European Council has more than 40 members, many of which are not EU members.

    I do agree that the EU is responsible for many regulations that push for increased protection of citizens' privacy though.

  21. "Loud voices" come from the stupid by gweihir · · Score: 4, Interesting

    And from those lying though their teeth. Otherwise there would be no need for "loud voices", as convincing arguments would be available. For a ban on secure encryption, no convincing arguments exist, and such a ban would be excessively destructive to a modern economy.

    My guess is this committee asked some actual experts, unlike fundamentally stupid and power-hungry people like May, Trump, etc. like to do.

    --
    Most ACs are not even worth the keystrokes to insult them. Be generically insulted by this and ignored otherwise.
  22. Trump had children... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...because he had hopes of siring his ideal woman. And he already did: Ivanka

  23. Perception is everything by WolfgangVL · · Score: 1

    We didn't just backdoor all your crypto willy-nilly! NO way citizen, we had a discussion about it, don't you remember? It was you, the citizens, that had decided that this was a good idea, and we've just been enforcing the will of the people. Now, remove that unauthorized encryption, and provide all your private keys immediately. Like in the deal.

    --
    You are being ripped off every second of every day, so that advertisers can help rip you off even more tomorrow.
  24. Found the Muslim...^^^ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yep, Muslimy Muslim is acting very Muslim.

  25. European parliament stripped of all power by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Starting with Maasrict treaty until it position was little more than advisory. Commission took the power. Now this is a VERY GOOD REASON to leave EU.